5 Spots to Eat in Waikiki After a Great Surf Session

Brandon Suyeoka

5/11/2015

After a day of intense Hawaiian sun and Waikiki surf, I’m starving. Here are 5 spots I check out to fuel up after a day out in the water.

Duke's Waikiki
It's only fitting to finish off a Waikiki surf session at Duke's Waikiki, named after legendary Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku. Located at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and overlooking the Waikiki surf line, Duke's provides the perfect location for a post session meal. The restaurant has direct access from the beach, which means you can easily walk straight in from showering off to being seated on the open-air lanai. My faves on the local-style menu? Mac Nut Chicken Katsu, Mango BBQ Bacon Burger and Cajun Fish Tacos. Beverage of choice? Kona Longboard on tap. Add a magical Hawaiian sunset and that’s pretty much a perfect day.

Giovanni PastramiGiovanni Pastrami on the Waikiki Beach Walk provides me with a wide variety of food offerings to choose from any time of the day, including full breakfast options like New York steak and eggs or a chili omelet. If you’re looking for something in the later part of the day you can always opt for a few of my faves like the Pastrami Burger, Macadamia Nut Pesto Pasta or what I always go crazy for, Round Table Pizza. The King Arthur Supreme Pizza is an absolute must—Pepperoni, Italian sausage, Portuguese sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions and black olives to tame that post-surf appetite. The best part about dining here? Catching my favorite sporting event on several flat screen TV’s throughout the restaurant while enjoying a tall glass of beer from the full-service bar.

Shore Bird
Located at the back of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, Shore Bird has direct beach access for patrons to enjoy the convenient transition of surfing to dining. The outer Beach Bar area provides guests with a panoramic view of several popular Waikiki surf spots. While taking in the sight of the ocean from the Beach Bar, enjoy their popular burger menu including the Baja Burger, Kahala Mushroom Burger, Hawaiian BBQ Stacker and a bucket of fries, which includes their popular spicy mango ketchup. Come by for dinner for a post-surf meal and guests can even partake in grilling up their own menu on their infamous Shore Bird Grill.

Pai’s Deli
After a longer surf session, sometimes I find myself hungry but not really wanting to be anywhere other than back in my hotel room to relax and unwind. Open for most of the day and on the way back from the beach, Pai’s Deli on the ground floor of the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, is the perfect solution to remedy my appetite with convenient grab-n-go meals that include a variety of sandwiches, salads and smoothies. I highly recommend the Tuna Avocado on whole wheat and either the one or two topping salad—I normally go with the egg and tuna. To top it all off, a mango/pineapple fruit smoothie. The only problem you’ll have is carrying all that food back with you to your room!

Kani Ka Pila Grille
After a later-in-the-day surf session, my adrenaline level is still pumped up and I feel lively and refreshed. That’s when I head over to Kani Ka Pila Grille in the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort for some casual local dining and live entertainment and full bar next to the pool. It’s the perfect setting to end your day after an awesome surf session. I recommend going with the heavy pupus like Buffalo Wings, Crispy Coconut Shrimp and the Ahi Poke so you have some room for a cocktail or two while enjoying the live jam sessions happening before your eyes. Nightly entertainment starts at 6 pm and runs through 9 pm. You can check out their entertainment schedule by clicking here.

Brandon Suyeoka is an advertising and marketing professional with nearly 20 years of experience working with brands and creating strategies for them to better engage their customers. If you are active on social media in Hawaii you may remember him from his LinkedIn/Twitter posts on industry related topics. He also has background on developing synergies with traditional marketing campaigns and social media to extend “conversations." Currently, he is the Marketing Brand Manager at ALTRES as well as an independent marketing consultant through his company SoComm Marketing. When he's not working, he's either out surfing, hanging out with friends or filling his belly with local cuisine. Find Brandon on LinkedIn. Follow on Twitter.